Pokemon Go is life changing for autistic boy
A MUM has described how Pokemon Go has helped her autistic son leave the house and socialise with other people for the first time.
Adam Barkworth, 17, of Hazel Grove (pictured above) struggles with social anxiety and requires one-toone support from a carer.
But his mum said the Pokemon Go game has helped ‘change his life’ by getting him out of the house and interacting with other people.
Adam’s mum and fulltime carer, Jan Barkworth, downloaded the game for Adam last week and has been surprised at how far he has come along since.
The game works by encouraging players to go outside and ‘catch’ Pokemon using GPS technology.
AMUM has described how Pokemon Go has helped her autistic son leave the house and socialise with other people for the first time.
Adam Barkworth, 17, of Hazel Grove, struggles with social anxiety and requires one-to-one support from a carer.
But his mum said the Pokemon Go game has helped ‘change his life’ by getting him out of the house and interacting with other people.
Adam’s mum and fulltime carer, Jan Barkworth, downloaded the game for Adam last week and has been surprised at how far he has come along since.
The game works by encouraging players to go outside and catch Pokemon by using GPS technology.
Previously Adam, a Castle Hill Sixth Form student, would spend all of his time in his bedroom and would not sit with his family because of the noise his younger siblings make.
But on Monday the teenager spent some time playing the game in a park and even spoke to a woman he met while playing the game.
He was also able to visit a pub with his family and sit with other people outside, something that would have been impossible before.
Jan took Adam to search for Pokemon in Bramhall Park and he was able to leave the house for three hours.
She is now planning on taking him to a Pokemon Meet Up event to help him interact with new people.
Jan, 41, said: “On Monday night we went to the park and met a young lady also playing Pokemon.
“She walked around for a bit with us. He said two words to her, he has never done that before.
“It is changing his life at the moment. He is getting out and having exercise. He was being cheeky last night making Pokemon jokes. It is like a different child.”
She added: “Beforehand we were struggling to take him out. He would be having anxiety attacks.
“He couldn’t cope with being outside. We are absolutely buzzing to get him out for three hours.
“My ears are hurting he never stopped talking about Pokemon. It was really nice to have him so animated.”
Jan is now asking members of the public to say ‘hello’ to Adam if they see him out and about playing Pokemon.
She said: “Interacting with others is a good opportunity for him. Don’t expect him to communicate back, but hopefully one day he will start to say hello back.”